KILIMANJARO: COFFEE stakeholders have been urged to boost production, strengthen trade and invest in research to increase the sector’s contribution to Tanzania’s ambition of becoming a 1 trillion US dollar, upper-middle-income economy under Vision 2050.
Moshi District Commissioner, Mr Godfrey Mnzava, made the call while closing the seventh Kahawa Festival in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region, stressing the need for coordinated efforts across the coffee value chain to drive growth.
“Agriculture remains a pillar of the national economy, with coffee offering significant opportunities to expand production and support economic transformation,” he said.
Mr Mnzava commended the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) for collaborating with industry stakeholders to improve production, while urging greater youth participation to sustain the sector’s growth.
He said engaging more young people in coffee farming and related activities could help expand output and strengthen the industry’s future.
The district commissioner also underscored the importance of agricultural research, commending the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute and the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TARI/ TaCRI) for developing improved coffee seedlings.
He said millions of improved Arabica and Robusta seedlings had been distributed to farmers, with the varieties intended to deliver higher yields, resist diseases and withstand climate-related challenges.
ALSO READ: Youth rediscover hope in revived coffee sector
Mr Mnzava urged TARI/ TaCRI to intensify research and ensure that its findings translated into practical solutions that would help farmers raise productivity.
“I commend the organisers of the Kahawa Festival for sustaining the annual event, saying it provided a platform for stakeholders across the coffee value chain to exchange ideas and promote the sector’s contribution to economic development,” he said.
The festival organising committee Chairperson, Mr Denis Mahulu, said activities during the festival included Barista and Coffee Cupping competitions, which help young participants showcase their skills and gain recognition among institutions operating in the coffee industry. He said the competitions could also open up employment opportunities for participants.
TCB Director General, Mr Primus Kimaryo, said the festival’s exhibition had continued to grow, attracting more than 40 exhibitors this year, compared with fewer than 30 during its early editions.
The festival highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration, investment in research, youth engagement and improved production in building a more productive and competitive coffee sector.